Golf

#14 GC Secures Fourth at Aflac/Cougar Invitational

Oct 04, 2011

COLUMBUS, Ga. – The No. 14 Georgia College golf team took fourth place on the final day of the Aflac/Cougar Invitational, hosted by Columbus State University at the Country Club of Columbus. The Bobcats matched their fall season best finish in taking fourth.

The Bobcats put together a final round score of 295, 11-over on the par-71, 6,515-yard course.

The combined three round score of 876 and 24-over par put the 'Cats just behind No. 4 Barry University, which shot three strokes better at 873, 21-over.

Freshman Ryan Trocchio (Norcross, Ga.) led the way for Georgia College, finishing tied for eighth place after putting together a one-over, 72 final round. Trocchio claims the first top-10 of his young career, ending up two-over for the tournament after a consistent 71-71-72.

Junior Taylor Smith (Mansfield, Ga.) finished tied for 13th place, posting an overall score of 217, four-over par. His 74 today gave him two sandwiched around a second-round 69.

Finished tied for 27th place, senior Jeff Rives (Roswell, Ga.) turned in another solid performance, finishing eight-over par. Consistency was also key for Rives in his second tournament of the season, carding 74, 74, 73.

Bernardo Bide (Olavarria, Argentina) shot an impressive one-under, 70 in the first round tournament but couldn't continue that run, ending up 12-over. His 225 was good for a tie in 46th place.

Rounding out the scoring for the Bobcats was sophomore Gavin Harper (Twin City, Ga.), who birdied his last two holes of the tournament to finish 26-over, tying for 80th place. The team used his final round 76 after those final two birdies.

The fourth place finish matches the GC's highest finish of the fall season at the Sandestin Collegiate Championship in Destin, Fla. just a week ago. The Bobcats finished fourth among the 17 teams, beating five notable nationally-ranked squads in No. 8 University of North Alabama, No. 13 Columbus State University, No. 19 Newberry College, No. 20 Florida Southern College and No. 21 Flagler College.

No. 24 Georgia Southwestern State University won the tourney, followed by No. 3 Lynn University. Craig Gibson of GSW won the individual medalist, beating teammate Christopher Hall by a stroke.

The Aflac/Cougar Invitational wraps up the fall season, as the Bobcats head into winter break and their preparation for the spring.

The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/BobcatSports and www.facebook.com/gcbobcats for up-to-the-minute spports, and visit www.GCBobcats.com for more information, and to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GC Athletics Hall of Fame.